Spreading Her Wings
by bird by snow
Summary: PostAWE AU. Sparrabeth pairing.  Will has sailed away and Elizabeth is left alone to decide what she wants to do with her life for the first time ever. It's really about the journey that Elizabeth takes to end up where she does.
1. Part I

Important Notes: The story begins near the end of AWE and completely ignores the after credits scene. It also assumes that as long as Will does his job as ferrier to dead souls he will remain "alive", non-evil, and in human form. It assumes that the curse can't be broken unless the heart is stabbed. I also don't view Elizabeth being faithful and chaste as part of the curse deal.

* * *

Elizabeth watched Will sail away into the fading sun and felt a strange mix of emotions wash over her. It had been a long day. Not allowing herself time to dwell on it, she began gathering wood for a fire, piling it on the beach next to where she had placed Will's chest. Taking a piece of flint out of her pocket, she struck it against her sword to produce sparks and had a small fire going in no time. She was soon sitting next to the fire with her knees drawn up to her chest, watching, as the sky grew steadily darker. By dawn she would have to make her decision, but for now she would grieve.

The loss of her father, James, and Will had finally sunk in. It hit her hard at first, the enormous sobs racking her small frame. She cried in anguish over everyone and everything she had lost in such a short time. She screamed at the stars in the sky until her lungs hurt and she was sure she was going insane.

A calm would eventually wash over her hours later when her tears ran out. Feeling emotionally and physically drained, Elizabeth laid down and pressed her ear against the wooden chest. The beating of the heart brought her some comfort and she thought about her last conversation with Will. He had said he would understand if she wasn't there to meet him in ten years. Elizabeth reassured him that she would wait for him because she had made a commitment, but Will just smiled knowingly and said that he knew she was too independent to mean it. He told her that she didn't have to keep up pretenses for his sake, he knew she had married him in haste. When she tried to deny it he stopped her and explained that it would truly make him happy if she walked away and never looked back because it meant that she was living her life and not just waiting for him. He may not be able to live, he said, but she still could.

And then, right before he left, he leaned in to kiss her and whispered that he would always love her and that he released her from their marriage. She remembered feeling so empty at that moment. Will had been in her life since she was ten years old. He had been in her dreams, and in her thoughts. He had always just been there. She wondered if the only reason she had married him was so that she could hold on to something from her past. She realized right then, that for the first time, her life no longer had a set direction. Her father wasn't there anymore to guide her and tell her what was right and wrong. She was no longer married, betrothed, or promised to anyone. She no longer had a home to return to. It suddenly felt like there was no place left in the world for Elizabeth Swann.

With only a few hours remaining, Elizabeth began to weigh her choices. The _Black Pearl_ was going to sail by the island at dawn and look for a signal on the cliff-top. If they saw a fire, they would wait for her to row back to them and she would rejoin the crew. If there was no fire, they would continue on their way and she would walk a few miles to the town in the cove and possibly settle there.

Elizabeth mulled over this for a long while as she watched the flames lick at the logs. She was reluctant to let go of the dream of being Mrs. Turner, but was certain she couldn't be content giving up pirating. Re-joining the Black Pearl's crew would mean a hard life, but it had been one she had wanted since she first read about pirates as a little girl. The only thing that made her hesitate was the overwhelming fear that Jack wouldn't welcome her presence on his ship. She knew there was a chance that he wouldn't want anything to do with her, and if that were the case then she truly had nothing left.

There was another option she had briefly considered, but by now was somewhat ashamed by. Hours ago, when she was out of her mind with grief, she was going to drown herself and wait for Will make her a member of his crew. She was so intent on her plan that she had frantically climbed up to the cliff-top, ready to jump into the ocean. But as she stood up there, watching the moonlight dance on the waves, something had stopped her. Even though she was in the throes of despondency, something had held her back.

Now, back on the beach with a calmer mind, she thinks that it was Jack that stopped her. She remembered the feeling of relief as she gasped for air when Jack pulled her out of the water in Port Royal and revived her. And then she recalled opening her eyes to find Jack's dark brown ones staring back at her. That was the moment things had changed forever, because that was when she discovered there was more to life than just what was in Port Royal. And when she was marooned on the beach with him she remembers being amazed by the fact that there was room in her heart for a man that wasn't Will.

Elizabeth closed her eyes. They had been sitting around a fire, like she was now. She was flushed and giddy from the dancing and the rum, and sitting so close to Jack in her under dress. And then she remembers the sound of _his_ heartbeat. The way it thumped lazily as she rested her head on his shoulder that night, the way it pounded like crazy when she kissed him goodbye, and the way it sounded so safe and wrapped her in a familiar warmth as he flew her off the _Flying Dutchman_.

XXX

From the helm of the _Black Pearl_, Jack noticed that the sky was beginning to turn the pinkish-orange color that signaled the approaching dawn. He had paced the quarterdeck nearly all night because he didn't want to sleep. He was afraid when he woke he'd be back in the locker and this would all have been a hallucination. A nagging feeling told him it was reality though. A feeling that he had just made one of the biggest decisions of his life by giving up his immortality. And even worse yet, he had proved Elizabeth right. He was a good man after all. He sighed. When had he become soft?

The crew had begun to wake and wander out onto the deck, blinking in the few rays of sunlight. Barbossa, who had locked himself in the captain's cabin all night, finally emerged and approached Jack. "Why don't you join Marty in the crow's nest so you can watch for a signal from our Mrs. Turner?" he asked sweetly.

It seemed like a nice offer on the surface, but it would be a cold day in Hell when Jack took orders from his former first mate. "I'm not handing over control of my ship to you again," Jack said defensively, clutching the ship's wheel tighter. "And there's not going to be a signal," he added.

"_My_ ship and I say there will be one. The lass makes a damn fine pirate. It'd be a shame to see talent like that go to waste," Barbossa said. He had been impressed with Elizabeth since she was first brought before him and truly felt she wouldn't give up her independent ways.

"Why don't you go back to studying your charts?" Jack taunted. He knew there was truth behind Barbossa's statement, but couldn't bring himself to think about the what-ifs. Elizabeth, in his mind, had made her choice when she got married.

Barbossa opened his mouth to reply to Jack's rhetorical question, but was interrupted by Marty shouting down from the crow's nest. "Captain!" he yelled. Jack and Barbossa both looked up in his direction.

"Aye?"

"What is it?"

Marty pointed toward the island. "I see a fire!"

XXX

A half an hour later, Elizabeth climbed out of the longboat and on to the deck carrying the chest with her. The crew swarmed around her immediately, welcoming her back happily. Jack never moved from the helm.

"Glad to have you back, Mrs. Turner," Mr. Gibbs said.

Elizabeth shook her head sadly. "No. It's just Elizabeth. I left Mrs. Turner on that beach. I'm not that woman anymore. Will is dead."

"Just the same, welcome back."

"Thank you."

When the commotion died down and the crew went back to work, Elizabeth walked over to the railing and looked out at the sea. She had looked around when she got on board, hoping to see Jack in the crowd, but he wasn't there. Instead, she saw him standing behind the wheel, not willing to catch her eye. Her heart sank.

Jack saw Elizabeth across the deck and knew she was upset, but he tried not to care. Instead, he tried very hard to think about how she left him to die. It wasn't working. "Mr. Cotton!" he called. The old man and his parrot soon appeared before him.

"Wind in your sails," the parrot replied.

"Take over for awhile," Jack said. Mr. Cotton saluted and took the wheel.

Jack cautiously approached Elizabeth. "So, Just Elizabeth is it? Or should I address you as Your Highness, King of the Pirate Lords?"

"It doesn't matter, either one is fine," she replied, not really listening. Jack frowned when his attempt to get her to smile failed. Another moment passes before Elizabeth says, "I know you did that for me. So that I could have a chance to make it work with Will."

Jack sniffed it off. "Nah. 'S just that I realized what the job entailed. Leave that to the honorable ones, I say."

"Still…you could have been immortal."

Jack smiled. She was still trying to convince him that he was a good man. "That kind of immortality comes at a price, " he explained. "I had it once before and gave it up too, remember? I don't like it when some bloody curse tells me what I can and can't do. If I want to come to port and spend my night in the company of a lady and drink until my heart's content then that's what I am going to do."

"Yes but—"

He stopped her. "Elizabeth, darling, I did what I did. You did what you did. We all do things."

Elizabeth misinterpreted his meaning and became defensive. "Are you still bitter about that? You _still_ won't forgive me?" she pressed.

Jack stared her in the eyes and fought an internal battle before saying quietly, "Nothing to forgive, love."

Elizabeth backed off, confused at his change in tone, "But you were…" she trailed off, trying to figure him out.

"Giving you a hard time, " he finished for her. "I had to make an example of you or everyone would think they could just kill me and get away with it." He flashed her a smile.

Elizabeth didn't know if she should believe him. She had seen the look in his eyes when they met in the locker. He had genuinely been hurt by her betrayal. However, she let the matter drop and changed the subject. "Where are we headed?" she asked.

"Back to Shipwreck Cove," Jack replied.

"We have unfinished business with the others," Barbossa said, interrupting their conversation.

"What business is that?" she inquired.

Jack smiled mysteriously and said, "The best kind." Ignoring Elizabeth's confused looks, he backed away and bowed, before saying, "Now if you'll please excuse me, I have a ship to sail."

When Jack had gone out of earshot, Barbossa spoke. "I have a proposition for you," he said.

"Oh?"

"Help me get the _Pearl_ from Jack and I'll make you first mate and let you in on a new profitable venture I discovered."

Elizabeth raised an eyebrow. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. "You're putting an awful lot of trust in me. What makes you think I won't just run to Jack and tell him what you're planning?"

"Because I don't believe that you fancy Jack the way he fancies you. And because I see you as a pirate who looks out for her own interests and doesn't care about anything else."

Elizabeth briefly wondered if that was how everyone else saw her too. In any event, while she didn't completely trust Jack, she didn't at all trust Barbossa. "You're right," she told him, "I _am_ a pirate. And that's why when I sail away from Shipwreck Cove it will be aboard my own ship."

It dawned on Barbossa what she meant by that and he was shocked. It was a move he hadn't anticipated. "You're going to take command of the _Empress_?" he asked.

Elizabeth decided last night that she would throw herself into the role of pirate, figuring that as long as she kept busy, it would keep her mind off of things. Returning to Shipwreck Cove provided her with an opportunity. "Yes, I'm going to take over where Sao Feng left off," she replied. "I haven't told anyone else yet though, and I probably won't. I've already said my goodbyes, it's best just to leave I think."

"Mum's the word," said Barbossa, "You would have made a fine addition to me crew though. I'll be sure to keep an eye out on the horizon for you. I trust we can agree not to shoot at each other the next time we meet?"

"That sounds reasonable, as long as you don't cross me," Elizabeth said with a smirk. Barbossa laughed.

XXX

While Elizabeth had Barbossa distracted, Jack took it upon himself to find out exactly what had kept Barbossa up all night. Taking a quick glance around, he saw that no one was looking. He paused for moment, realizing that he was sneaking in to his own cabin. He silently cursed Barbossa for making him feel like a crewman on his own ship and entered the cabin.

The map scroll was resting on the table and several candles, burnt down to stubs, were still lit. So, Barbossa had been trying to coax more secrets from the map. Jack unrolled it. The rings were not aligned in any particular order. He wondered if Barbossa had stumbled upon anything of value and then decided that he wasn't going to take that chance. He retrieved a knife from a drawer and carefully cut out the center portion of the scroll, re-rolling when he was finished it so it looked untouched. He tucked the map into his coat pocket and stepped back out onto the deck, vowing to find a way to get his pesky former first mate off his ship as soon as possible. He glared secretly at Barbossa, who was laughing at something Elizabeth said, and then quickly and quietly headed for the helm. Shipwreck Island was visible in the distance and he would need to navigate them into the cove.


	2. Part II

As soon as they had disembarked from the _Pearl_, a member of Sao Feng's crew greeted them. "Captain Swann! Captain Swann!" shouted Tai Huang, as he came hurrying down the dock toward them.

Jack started to correct him, "Actually, she prefers it if you address her as Your Highness—"

Elizabeth interrupted Jack's comment by giving him a playful shove and saying to him, "I'll meet up with you in a bit." Jack raised an eyebrow, questioning her silently, and she replied, "I have to speak with him."

"Step to, Jack. Elizabeth can take care of herself," Barbossa commented as he walked passed them. Deciding that she was in no danger, Jack went ahead with Barbossa and the crew, walking quickly to catch up to them.

Tai Huang waited patiently and then addressed Elizabeth again, "Captain, we didn't know if you were coming back, but we felt it best to wait for you. Everything is just as you left it."

"Good. I appreciate your loyalty," she said. "As soon as we're done here, I want to get back to Singapore. Make sure the ship is ready."

He bowed. "Yes, Ma'am." Elizabeth started to walk away, but Tai Huang stopped her again. "Captain, Mistress Ching wished to speak with you, if you returned. I can take you to her now if you would like. The ceremony inside will not start until later."

Elizabeth was curious to know what Mistress Ching had to say, but felt it wise to bring back up in case it was some kind of trick. "Alright," she agreed, "But have two more crewmen come with us."

"As you wish," Tai Huang replied.

XXX

An aide on Mistress Ching's ship announced their presence to the blind captain and led her over to Elizabeth's waiting group. "So, you came back, Captain Swann," she said.

"I did," Elizabeth answered tersely.

"And now you must wonder why I asked to meet with you," Mistress Ching said. "It's very simple, I wish to know what your intentions are."

Elizabeth didn't hesitate. "I intend to take over as Sao Feng's successor. And as such, I'm taking his property and will control his ships, his men, and his territories," she replied confidently, almost daring the older woman to challenge her.

Mistress Ching regarded this for a moment, and then smiled broadly, much to Elizabeth's surprise. "I like you," she finally said.

Elizabeth relaxed slightly when she heard that. It seemed like Mistress Ching was paying her a deep compliment by approving of her. "Thank you," she said.

Mistress Ching sighed with disappointment. "It's a shame, though. I had hoped you would not return to the South China Sea. Sao Feng controlled a very important territory and I wanted it for myself, if you were unwilling."

XXX

When Jack, Barbossa, and their crew arrived in the meeting room, they found Ammand the Corsair, Capitaine Chevalle, Sri Sumbhajee, and Captain Villanueva sitting around the Brethren Court's table, playing cards.

"Ah, Gentlemen, you've arrived," said Villanueva, "Mistress Ching and Gentleman Jocard are waiting on their ships will no doubt be joining us soon. We are all here now, no?" He then looked more closely at the men that had just walked in. "Is Captain Swann not with you?" he asked.

"We cannot start without all the pirate lords present," Chevalle said, looking up from his hand of cards. "Captain Teague was very clear on that matter when we tried to start last night after the celebratory feast."

Jack scrunched up his face, as though he had just eaten something unpleasant. "Is that old dried-out piece of seaweed still hanging around here?" he wondered.

"But of course," Chevalle answered. He was surprised that anyone would dare refer to the menacing Captain Teague in such a way.

"Captain Sparrow, you didn't answer. Where is our new king?" asked Ammand.

"She'll be along shortly," Jack told them, pulling up a chair to the table. "She had to wash the blood out of her hair."

Barbossa took a seat across from Jack and said, "I reckon we have enough time to play a few more rounds, gentlemen. If you'd be so kind as to deal me in?"

"Of course, of course," Villanueva said. "Fresh blood is always good. I am tired of losing to these filthy pigs."

"Ha!" Chevalle exclaimed. "You talk of losing, but I am the one who is without my cargo!"

"You shouldn't have bet when you knew you couldn't win!" Villanueva shouted.

"It was like this all night yesterday," Ammand explained above the yelling as he dealt cards to Barbossa. "Captain Sparrow?" He looked up in question at Jack.

Jack held up his hands in front of him and answered, "No, thank you, I only gamble with my life."

"Then how come you owe them all money?" Barbossa questioned. Villanueva and Chevalle stopped fighting and turned their attention to Jack.

Jack shot Barbossa a very ungrateful look. He was hoping the other lords had forgotten about his debts. He laughed nervously and replied, "I don't."

"Yes, you do," Chevalle said, "You owe me seven guineas."

"He borrowed twenty doubloon from me," said Villanueva.

"I lent him a horse," Ammand said angrily.

"He stole a boat from me!" Sri Sumbhajee exclaimed in a high falsetto.

Sensing he was about to get shot, Jack tried to calm them down by doing what he did best. "Gentlemen, gentlemen, I fully intended to pay you all back," he sweet-talked, "With interest! But it was hard to do any pirating while my ship was in hostile hands, and Davy Jones was after me, and then there was that whole being dead thing."

XXX

Elizabeth could hear the pirate lords' laughter as she approached the meeting room. She could barely believe her eyes at what she saw when she walked through the door. Jack had been gagged, tied to his chair, and placed on the table amidst a pile of gold and trinkets. Elizabeth couldn't see his face from where she was standing, but she knew he would not be pleased. She would have laughed if she had not been so shocked at the absurdity of the situation.

"You see Jack? This is what happens when you don't keep your word," Barbossa said.

"What is going on?" Mistress Ching asked Elizabeth.

Elizabeth recovered from her shock and made her best guess as to what was transpiring. "It appears," she said slowly, "That the other pirates lords are trying to win Jack in a game of cards." She questioned Mr. Gibbs from across the room with a look, but he just shrugged in reply as if to say, 'what can you do?'.

"The winner gets to turn him in for the reward on his head. Or torture him. Your choice," explained Gentleman Jocard, who had arrived shortly before Elizabeth and Mistress Ching.

"You could do both," Ammand pointed out, "They don't want him alive."

"It's a pity you didn't wait for us," Mistress Ching said, "He owes me money."

"We can deal you in," Villanueva offered.

"Yes, deal me in," Mistress Ching replied, speaking to one of her assistants in Chinese. He led her to a chair and took the cards for her, telling her what each one was.

"Captain Swann, would you like a hand as well?" Villanueva asked.

Elizabeth caught Jack looking at her as she sat down and she smiled at him. "Absolutely," she replied. He looked worried.

XXX

An hour later, Elizabeth laid down the winning hand in front of her. The other lords threw down their cards in disgust. "What do you want us to do with him?" Jocard asked.

"We could throw him in the brig for you," Ammand helpfully suggested.

"Or better yet, the ocean!" someone shouted. They all laughed.

Elizabeth rubbed her chin and pretended to contemplate his fate. "Ten thousand and one guineas is a lot of money, Jack. It's veeeery tempting," she said. Jack silently pleaded to her with his eyes. "But, on the other hand, it would be hard to collect the reward since I'm wanted as well." She sighed dramatically and gave her answer, "I suppose you'll have to let him go."

"Oh," Villanueva whined, "That's no fun at all."

Reluctantly, they dragged Jack off the table and placed him next to Elizabeth, refusing to untie him. Elizabeth chuckled at their pettiness and got up from her chair. Standing behind Jack, she started to pick at the knot on his gag with her fingernails, struggling with it because it was tied very tightly.

"Oh, no, don't ungag him," begged Chevalle as he walked by, "The silence is enjoyable, I think, no?"

Elizabeth's mind flashed back to when Jack was dead and how she felt that she would've given anything, just to hear his crazy ramblings again. A world where Jack was silenced was an achingly empty world indeed. "You'd think so," she said to Chevalle, "But it wasn't enjoyable at all." She spoke the last part under her breath, and only Jack heard her. Chevalle shrugged and went back to talking with the other pirates while Elizabeth peeled off the gag. She kneeled down as she started to work at the knots behind his back, but paused for a moment and said, "I just want you to know that I went to the locker to save you because I missed you."

Her hot breath tickled his neck and he squirmed in the chair. "Did you now?" he asked.

"Mmm hmm," she hummed her response in his ear.

"Is that the only reason?"

"Isn't that enough?" she asked as put her arms around him, passing the end of the rope from one hand to the other, slowly unwinding the rope from around his mid-section. "I just wanted to get you back to this world. I didn't care how long it took, or if you were going to be angry with me forever, I wanted to rescue you."

Elizabeth lingered a little bit longer on the last pass of the rope and Jack could swear it felt like she was hugging him. "That's called guilt, Lizzie," he said. She dropped her arms and Jack was immediately sorry he'd said that.

"No," she said quietly, "It's…" she trailed off, her voice catching in her throat. What was it that she had been feeling? Compassion? Love? She shook her head to clear her thoughts and finished untangling him from the rope. "You're free, Jack," she said audibly again, resting a hand on his shoulder to help pull herself up.

Jack caught Elizabeth's hand when she stood and gave it a small kiss. "Thank you, love," he responded, smiling warmly at her as she took her place next to him again. He noticed that they were close enough that he could rest his arm across the back of Elizabeth's chair. If she minded, she didn't say anything. "Well that was fun," Jack said, "We should play cards more often."

Captain Teague, who had quietly entered the room, had watched the exchange between Captain Swann and his son with great interest. He couldn't resist intruding, and walked over to where the two were sitting. "So, Jackie, this is the woman that killed you?" he asked.

Jack, who had been absent-mindedly twirling a tendril of Elizabeth's hair around his finger, cringed at his father's usage of his boyhood nickname. "The very one," he answered, slipping his arm down around her shoulders protectively.

"I was surprised to hear someone had finally gotten the better of you, but when I heard it was _her_ I understood," Teague smiled, showing off his gold teeth.

Elizabeth looked back and forth between the two men, puzzled by their exchange. She suddenly realized that they looked an awful lot alike and an idea occurred to her. "Oh my god!" she gasped. "Is he your father?" she asked Jack, who wouldn't look at her.

Captain Teague chuckled, deciding she was a worthy opponent for his son. "It was nice to meet you, Captain Swann," he said walking away. He decided it was time to start the evening's event. "Alright, you sorry bunch, let's begin shall we?"

"Aye!" they answered.

Elizabeth soon found out that after every meeting of the Brethren Court, there was a feast and a drinking contest. The feast was held last night, but they put off the drinking contest until tonight because the code stated that they all must be present, and Captain Teague was certain that Jack and the others would show up eventually.

According to the first rule, each pirate lord was responsible for providing their own alcoholic beverage, usually one that is native to their region of the world. It was explained that this rule came about because of the threat of being poisoned and because the lords didn't like to share their best liquor with others. The second rule was that the lords had to provide drinks for their crews, who also had to drink. This was so to ensure that the crews would not be sober enough to steal the ships and mutiny. The last pirate lord to pass out was dubbed the winner and he received a trophy and more importantly, had bragging rights.

Captain Teague flipped through the pages of a small leather-bound ledger and said, "It looks like the last winner was the Pirate Lord of the Mediterranean Sea. Capitaine Chevalle, do you have an object that will serve as a trophy?"

"Yes," he said bitterly, "That filthy dog did not make away with all my treasure." He glared at Villanueva. He snapped his fingers and one of his crewmen brought forth a jewel-encrusted crown.

Elizabeth leaned into Jack and asked, "The pieces of eight were junk, but the trophy's real?" She was amused that a drinking contest trophy was seemingly more important than cursed items that bound a sea goddess.

"Priorities, darling. We're pirates, remember?"

Captain Teague held up the crown. "Everyone satisfied?"

"No," said Ammand, "I heard that last time the pirate lord from the Mediterranean cheated. It's common knowledge that he diluted his wine!"

"You take that back!" Chevalle shouted.

"It's true! I heard the same thing!" Villanueva yelled.

"I will not compete until we know he is not cheating," Sri Sumbhajee said.

"And how do we know you are not cheating as well?" Jocard asked.

Barbossa raised his voice above the commotion and said, "Maybe the King would like to make a suggestion?" The room fell silent and they all looked to Elizabeth.

She thought for a minute and then said, "I propose a new rule. Since Captain Teague is the record keeper, and the only impartial one among us, he can sample from each of our supplies and determine if they are fit for the contest." Not being able to find fault with her suggestion, the pirate lords agreed. A half hour later, they were able to start drinking.

Elizabeth's crew brought her many ceramic bottles of something she hoped tasted better than rum. Tai Huang placed a small cup in front of her and explained, "Baijiu from Sao Feng's, I mean your, private reserves." Elizabeth nodded politely, even though she had no idea what 'baijiu' was. She poured the liquor in to the cup and noticed it was clear. She sipped it cautiously. It was strong and tasted spicy, but not like anything she'd ever had before. She watched Jack pour his second shot and she poured another for herself as well.

"Bottom's up, love," said Jack as he raised his glass to her.

"Cheers," she answered. She drank down the baijiu in one gulp. "I'll not let you best me, Captain Sparrow," she informed him.

"You forget who you're talking to, Captain Swann."

"Oh? I seem to remember out drinking you on that godforsaken spit of land a couple years back."

"Yes, but I had a head start, _and_ I drank more than you, _and_ you cheated!"

"Pirate," she said simply.

Jack gazed at her full of lust and admiration. He leaned in and said to her, "Even back then I could see it. You done me proud, Lizzie."

The way Jack looked at her made her feel as if they were the only two people in the room. Her cheeks were burning and she stared at his lips, wanting nothing more than to kiss him right then. She downed another shot, hoping it would cool her down. It didn't, so she changed the subject, "Can I ask you a question?"

Jack poured himself another drink and said, "What do you want to know?"

"Is Captain Teague your father?"

"Regrettably," he answered, watching her pour another cupful. He put his hand on her arm, stopping her before she drank it, and brought it to his own lips. He savored the taste of the baijiu as it ran down his throat. He offered Elizabeth his own shot of rum in return.

"Captain Sparrow, are you trying to poison me?" she asked coyly.

"That's just a risk you'll have to take, love," he answered. She swallowed every last drop of the rum. "Are you dead?" he asked.

She patted herself down. "How can I tell?" she wondered.

"Do you see any white, roundish-looking rocks?"

She looked around and shook her head, "No."

"Then you're not dead."

"Good," she said, pouring more liquor into her cup.

"Now, Lizzie, I have a question for you. How did you win that game of cards?" he asked.

Elizabeth leaned in very close to him and pulled back her sleeve, showing him the corners of two still hidden cards. She grinned wickedly at him and whispered, "I cheated." Then she sat back up and drank down her next shot.

Jack abandoned his next glass of rum on the table and instead chose to devour Elizabeth's neck, kissing and sucking his way up to her earlobe, which he pulled at with his teeth. She moaned, sending a shiver down his spine and causing him to grab her hands and pull her onto his lap so that she was facing him. He was vaguely aware of Barbossa making some rude comment in the background. Elizabeth reached back and grabbed the open bottle of baijiu, taking a swig and then offering him one. "What if it's poison?" he asked suspiciously.

"Then we'll die together," she answered.

XXX

Elizabeth wasn't sure what had happened after that because the next thing she was aware of was waking up on the floor. She was spooned against Jack, who had his arm draped across her. She carefully lifted it so she could sit up and he started to stir. She noticed that thankfully they both still had their clothes on. Looking around, she saw empty bottles and glasses strewn all over. The others lords, passed out on the table, were just coming to as well. The crewmen were sleeping sprawled out on the floor or in extra chairs.

Captain Teague came thundering down the stairs and looked at them all, shaking his head. "Time to go, you rum-soaked lot," he shouted. Some of the men stirred, but made no motion to get up. Captain Teague drew his pistol and shot at the ceiling. That got everyone's attention and they all sprang up, looking around for the source of danger. "Everybody out," he said.

"Who won?" someone groggily asked.

"Capitaine Chevalle by a swallow," Captain Teague announced. The others moaned.

"The French can hold their wine!" Chevalle boasted proudly.

The crews cleared out until just the pirate lords were left. Some were talking, planning schemes unknown. Jack grabbed Elizabeth's arm and pulled her into a run. "Hurry Lizzie," he said excitedly, "We have to get back to the _Pearl_ before Barbossa. I want to leave him here."

Elizabeth froze. In all the excitement, she had forgotten what she was doing. She looked at Jack, and was unable to find any words. She wasn't planning to say goodbye, she was just going to leave and not tell him.

"Elizabeth?"

"Jack," she said explained slowly, "I'm not coming with you." She felt her heart break when she saw his face fall, and tears pricked at her eyes. "I have a ship and a crew of my own now."

"Right. Of course." Jack tried to play it off like it was nothing. "Bad luck to have you on board anyway. Would have to sleep with one eye open," he rambled.

Elizabeth continued to explain, "It's just that I've been speaking with Mistress Ching and she told me that the East India Trading Company is trying to put strongholds in that part of the world so they can strengthen their spice trade. I want to help stop them if I can. I feel like this is something I need to do, you know, be on my own for a bit."

Jack nodded knowingly. He understood how she felt. "It's time to leave the nest and spread your wings."

"Exactly." She wanted to prove that she could make it on her own.

"The South China Sea needs a fierce pirate lord. Give 'em hell, love."

Elizabeth held back her tears, not understanding why the goodbye was more difficult than it was two days ago. "The next time you're in Singapore, look me up," she said.

"Aye, I will."

She started to walk toward the _Empress_, but turned thought of something and turned around. "Jack? Be careful, Barbossa's planning something."

"Way ahead of you," Jack said, tapping the coat-covered scroll.

Elizabeth felt a familiar emptiness creep back up when she walked away from Jack, but she pushed it down, focusing on the task at hand. She found Tai Huang and asked him if he had acquired her chest from the _Pearl_ put it in her cabin like she requested. He said he did, so she ordered him to set sail for Singapore. There was nothing keeping her there any longer.

Elizabeth took one last look across the cove at the _Pearl_ before leaving. She saw Barbossa and Jack arguing on deck, probably accusing each other of trying to steal the ship from the other. She smiled and collapsed the telescope. When she turned around, Tai Huang and another crewman were waiting for her.

"Captain, Chen has something for you," he said. The crewman handed her a bundle of purple silk. She unfolded it and found that it was a new flag. It was a purple triangle edged in gold, with a swan, a crown, and two crossed swords on it. Next to the images were some Chinese characters that she didn't understand.

Tai Huang explained, "It says 'swift death to those who resist'."

"I love it," she said, feeling proud to have her own colors. "Hoist it up until we get to open water. I want the other pirates to see it."

"Yes ma'am," he said and then translated her command to Chen.

XXX

Out of the corner of his eye, Jack saw the crew on the _Empress_ running something up the mast as they were sailing out of the cove. He took out his telescope for a closer look. It was Elizabeth's colors. There was no mistaking it, she really was a pirate now. As if on cue, Elizabeth turned around and saw that he was looking at her. She gave him a big smile and waved. Jack was glad that she looked happy.


	3. Part III

They talked about her long after the battle was over, like a legend. A woman pirate, a swan, swooping in to attack the enemy. Elizabeth reckoned that she was as notorious as Jack now. Of course she wasn't trying to top him, she just wanted to defend her territory. The East India Trading Company had sent a fleet of ships to try to take her out. They wanted to establish a base of operations in the South China Sea to help strengthen their spice route. She had fought off the scout ships easily, but when they sent a whole fleet of battleships, it was considerably more difficult. She enlisted help from local traders and from Mistress Ching, the result of which was a glorious battle that would not be soon forgotten.

Their victory had come at a price however. Elizabeth had lost some of her crewmen in that last battle. Four good, loyal, men, who she had grown to know over the months, had been slain in front of her. Countless others had been wounded, including herself. The ten-inch gash down the length of her right arm was healing fine, but it would no doubt leave a scar.

After the battle, she had spent some time in Sao Feng's temple recovering, going out on occasional raids when the right target came through her waters. She dealt in spices, and trying to keep a corner on that market was tough. Since the East India Trading Company had left the area, everyone thought they could make a profit by trading for spice and selling it on the secondary market. It had gotten to the point that she was hijacking shipments on a regular basis now, but she never killed anyone unless she was forced to.

Elizabeth was comfortable in Singapore, but it didn't feel like home. Everything was so different from what she was used to, but she supposed she would adjust in time. She had yet to discover what Jack found so irresistible about the place. She found herself half-wishing he were there to show her. In all the time they had been apart, he had never seemed to stray far from her thoughts. She often found herself thinking about him, longing to be close to him again. One day, she thought. One day she would go back.

XXX

Jack stood, dumbfounded, on the Tortuga pier, staring at his ship sailing away. He should have seen it coming, he supposed. Barbossa must've been waiting for this opportunity for a while now. Jack had resisted leaving the ship until last night, when the call of the Tortuga tavern was too strong a temptation to resist. He felt it was safe enough to leave Mr. Gibbs behind to watch the _Pearl_ because Barbossa was coming ashore as well. He thinks that that's where he went wrong. He would later learn that Barbossa had paid Scarlett and Giselle to keep his mug full of rum and his attention diverted. Barbossa had also convinced the crew to get Mr. Gibbs drunk and leave him on the pier. It had been a very well thought out plan.

Jack seethed at the thought of that mutinous pirate taking his ship again. Not caring how long it would take him to find Barbossa, he jumped in a dinghy and started to sail after the _Pearl_. He swore that this time when he killed Barbossa, he would stay dead. Even if he had to enlist the help of the Flying Dutchman's new captain.

As he sailed further from Tortuga, his temper calmed and the realization of what he was doing set in. He sighed and turned the boat around, heading back to Tortuga. He took the map out of his pocket, just to check that it was still there. It was. It seemed Barbossa hadn't unrolled his empty scroll yet. What Jack wouldn't give to see Barbossa's face when he found out.

It hadn't taken Jack long to discover the other secret of the map. The first time he was able to look at it in private, he found the location for the Fountain of Youth. It was somewhat disappointing. He had been hoping that the map was going to lead to a valuable treasure, preferable something gold and jewel-encrusted. He had meant what he said to Elizabeth, immortality was no longer his greatest ambition. He took a long sip from his bottle of rum and enjoyed the relaxing sail back.

An hour later, Jack stumbled back into the Tortuga tavern, and found Mr. Gibbs calmly drinking at one of the tables. He looked up when Jack came over to him. "I've reconsidered the best course of action," Jack said.

Mr. Gibbs laughed, "I thought you might." He knew that when Jack rushed off, he wouldn't get far in that small boat that carried no provisions or supplies. He was never worried that Jack wouldn't be back for him. "So what are we going to do?" he asked.

"Drink until I can think of something better," Jack replied.

XXX

Months went by. People came, people went. No one seemed to want to help Jack and Mr. Gibbs. Barbossa had put the word out that the _Black Pearl_ would attack any fellow pirates that helped Jack. People, it seemed, were still frightened enough by the legend of the _Black Pearl_ that they heeded Barbossa's warning. With nothing better to do, and no good way off the island, Jack and Mr. Gibbs had stayed in Tortuga.

Mr. Gibbs, Jack thought dismally, was enjoying their time there much more than he was. For what seemed like ages now, Jack felt like he had an itch and anything he did to try and scratch it didn't work. It was driving him mad. After his encounters with Elizabeth, he was finding it difficult to be aroused by any other woman in the same way. He had been attracted to Elizabeth since they had met in Port Royal, but when she kissed him, it was the beginning of his downfall. He had come to the grim realization that she was the only one he wanted and no other woman would ever completely satisfy him.

Jack knew that it was foolish of him to let Elizabeth vex him like that, especially since he probably was the last thing on her mind. She had obviously found her wings in Singapore and didn't need him anymore. The stories he heard people tell about her were making her out to be as big of a legend as he was. The bounty on her head was even almost as much as his was now. He heard it went up to eight thousand guineas after that last battle had hit the East India Trading Company hard. He was torn between feeling proud of her and feeling jealous that she was more popular than he was.

He needed to get out of Tortuga soon, before he just withered away into obscurity. Suddenly, the solution to all his problems came to him and he slammed his mug down in excitement. "Mr. Gibbs!"

Mr. Gibbs, who had been in a bit of a daze, was startled into spilling his drink. "Mother's love, Jack! Where's the fire?"

"Who do we know that has a ship?" Jack asked.

"Barbossa," Mr. Gibbs replied confidently.

Jack rolled his eyes. "Besides him," he said.

Mr. Gibbs counted on his fingers, "Uh, well, there's Cap'n Antilles, Ol' Cap'n Peg-leg, Smarmy Joe…"

"I was thinking more along the lines of someone who wouldn't shoot us upon first sight."

"Oh," Mr. Gibbs thought for a moment, but couldn't think of a single ally. "You have me there, Cap'n. Who do we know?"

"Elizabeth," Jack said, as though the answer was in front of them the whole time. She may not have needed Jack's help anymore, but he needed hers, although he wasn't about to tell her that.

"Of course," Mr. Gibbs said, wondering why he didn't think of her first. Then he remembered, "But wouldn't we need a ship and a crew to get to Singapore so we could ask Elizabeth if she'd lend us _her_ ship and crew?"

"Ah yes, that," Jack paused and took a long sip from his mug before explaining, "I'm sorry to say that I came up with a way to get out of here a long time ago, but was, until now, reluctant to use such an undesirable mode of transportation."

"I'm not going to like this, am I?"

Jack shook his head. "You may want to have another drink."

XXX

The crewmen on board the _Black Pearl_ were not faring much better than Jack and Mr. Gibbs. At first, they were happy with Barbossa as their Captain. They were glad that he wasn't as crazy as Jack and felt confident that he wouldn't lead them on wild goose chases that weren't profitable. Then things went all wrong.

Barbossa had been livid when he found out Jack had taken his map, but was too stubborn to go back for him. He had since sailed them all over in search of the original map drawn by Juan Ponce de León. They were currently in Cuba, following a lead that said Ponce de León hid the map there before he died. Barbossa assured them that they were close to finding the map and if it wasn't there, they would go back to Tortuga for Jack, who was probably still sitting in the tavern where they left him.

XXX

Jack and Mr. Gibbs were soon on their way to Singapore, although it hadn't been easy. They had had to hide in the darkest, dampest, most rat-infested corner of a cargo hold, just to get out of Tortuga. Then they were stuck in Brazil for a while until a ship came along that was bound for Singapore. They got their opportunity on a trader ship named the _Kaver_, but in order to be granted passage, they had needed to come up with a cover story. Mr. Gibbs disguised himself as a wealthy English investor and Jack acted as his assistant.

Every day that they were stuck on that ship, Jack cursed Barbossa and came up with more and more gruesome ways to kill him. In Jack's opinion, the _Kaver_'s captain was an idiot who had no clue how to run a ship. He was amazed that they had made it to the South China Sea in one piece.

"Captain! Pirates!" a crewman shouted from the crow's nest. Jack swung around and looked toward the approaching ship. He smiled. They weren't flying any colors, so he couldn't be sure, but he had a hunch it was Elizabeth's men.

"What should we do, Jack?" Gibbs whispered.

"Get captured," he answered.

The crew of the _Empress_ made short work of securing the men on board the _Kaver_. They took the crew to the brig and ordered the captain and first mate on their knees with their hands behind their heads. Swords were pointed at them both.

"Gentlemen, this is our territory, and as such, we require a fee for safe passage to Singapore," Tai Huang explained to the captured men.

"We're just trying to earn a living! We can't afford to pay anything to pirates!" the captain shouted.

"We're not asking," Elizabeth said, stepping on board. "We're taking." The captain turned green and exchanged a terrified look with his first mate when they saw who was really behind their capture. Elizabeth motioned with her hand and Tai Huang shouted an order in Chinese. Several men went below deck and started to bring up crates. It wasn't everything that the _Kaver_ was carrying, but it was enough to put a large dent in their profit.

One of the men, Yao Lee, came back on deck and approached Elizabeth. She wasn't fluent enough yet to understand everything he said, but she definitely she heard the words 'man', 'brig', and 'parlay'.

"One of the men in the brig demanded parlay?" she asked, hoping she had misheard. Yao Lee nodded. She was below deck in an instant.

"Captain Lizzie!" Jack shouted. "Long time no see!"

"Jack?" Elizabeth approached the cell and peered in. Jack looked the same as he did when she left him in Shipwreck Cove. He was standing next to a familiar looking, yet well-dressed, man. "Mr. Gibbs? What are you two doing here?"

"We decided to try our hands at making an honest living," Jack said.

"Well, if that's the case, I should leave you down here for infringing on my business." She turned to walk away.

"No, no, no, wait!" Jack shouted after her.

As Elizabeth passed Yao Lee on her way back above deck, she ordered him in Chinese to let the two men out and take them back to the ship.

Yao Lee marched Jack and Mr. Gibbs at sword point up the stairs. "This isn't what I had in mind, darling," Jack shouted as he was being led back to her ship.

"Where are you taking those men?" asked the captain.

"They're my hostages," Elizabeth responded. "And if you sail away without putting up a fight, I give you my word that I won't kill them." The captain reluctantly agreed and the _Empress_ was soon safely underway.

As Elizabeth oversaw their return to port, she thought about Jack's appearance. It was certainly unexpected, but definitely not unwelcome. She walked over to where Yao Lee was holding her hostages. "Let them go," she ordered him in Chinese. He lowered his weapons and went to help with the rigging. Elizabeth regarded the two men curiously. "What are you really doing here?" she asked.

"We missed you?" Jack tried.

"Jack," she said in a warning tone.

Mr. Gibbs elbowed him and Jack reluctantly said, "Barbossa stole the _Pearl_ again."

"Have you considered keeping a closer eye on it?" Elizabeth asked wryly.

Jack grinned at the familiar phrase and said, "Gibbs was watching it."

Mr. Gibbs looked embarrassed. "There were circumstances…" he explained.

"I suppose you want help recovering it?"

"If you wouldn't mind," Jack said.

Elizabeth considered his request. There were other ships that she could trust to guard her territory in her absence, and it would be fun to go on another adventure with Jack. "Okay," she agreed. "As soon as we drop this shipment off, we'll go after Barbossa. Do you know where he's likely to be?"

"Erm, just a moment." Jack pulled his compass off his belt and opened it. "Somewhere over there," he pointed.

Elizabeth raised an eyebrow, "Oh, it works now? That's very convenient."

"It was never broken," Jack said defensively. "It was just conflicted."

XXX

The _Empress_ was making good time as it traveled across the globe in pursuit of the _Black Pearl_. It was late that night when Elizabeth gave up the wheel to Tai Huang and retired to her cabin. She stripped off her clothes and slipped into a beautifully embroidered silk robe and tied the sash around her waist. She washed her face at the basin and unpinned her hair, brushing it out with her fingers. Not feeling tired, she decided to take a look at her charts before going to sleep. They would reach the Caribbean soon and Elizabeth wanted to plot a course from the latest heading Jack had provided her. She was deep in concentration when a knock on the door caught her attention.

"Come in," she called. Jack peeked his head in.

"Good evening, love. Can you spare a drink for a poor, hardworking, member of your crew?" he asked.

She laughed. "Oh please, you haven't done a single days work since we left Singapore."

Jack closed the door behind him and walked over to a cabinet. He pulled out a bottle of baijiu and wondered, "Shouldn't I have been punished for that?"

"Probably," Elizabeth said, watching him take a long pull from the bottle and then flop down on her bed. "Jack, I don't want your dirty boots on my bed," she chided.

Jack swung his legs back over the edge of the bed and kicked his boots off before settling further into the bed. "I miss having my own bed," he said.

Elizabeth looked up. "Your accommodations below deck aren't to your liking?" she asked.

Jack wrinkled his nose. "No, it smells funny down there. And at least half of your crew snores."

"It could be worse," she pointed out. "You could be sleeping on the floor with the rats again."

"It could be better," he retorted, "I could be sleeping in here with you."

She smiled, but changed the subject, "I plotted the new heading you gave me and assuming your compass is pointing toward the _Black Pearl_ and not the world's largest supply of rum—"

"—I don't think I would mind that—"

"—We should head here," she said, pointing to a tiny island on the map between Florida and the Bahamas.

"Where?"

"Here. Come look," she said, curling her finger, beckoning him to her.

Jack sat the bottle on the floor and rolled clumsily out of bed. As he sauntered over to the table, he gazed at Elizabeth in her robe that left nothing to his imagination and wondered if she knew how irresistible she looked. He walked around behind her and leaned over her shoulder, resting his hands on the table in front of her. Ignoring the charts, he dropped his head and placed a kiss on her bare collarbone. "Is this where we're headed?" he asked.

She closed her eyes as the feel of his lips sent a shiver through her body. "Mmm, you're way off course," she purred. She felt him slip a hand under her robe and slide it down to cup her breast.

Jack felt Elizabeth's nipple harden as he grazed over it with his thumb. Elizabeth gasped and he placed several kisses across her jaw line. "Here?" he asked.

"Keep going," she said, turning her head slightly toward him. Jack traced circles on her breast, and gently pinched her nipple as he captured her bottom lip with his mouth. "That's it," she breathed, meeting his lips and kissing him back hungrily.

Jack removed his hand from under her robe and heard a small whimper. "I think we should travel a bit further south, don't you agree?" Elizabeth nodded and Jack backed up so she could stand. She turned to face him and he lifted her up on to the table.

Jack untied her sash and opened her robe, fully exposing her body to him. "So beautiful," he murmured as he kissed his way down her chest. He flicked his tongue across her nipple and then took it completely into his mouth. Elizabeth moaned at the sensation and squirmed on the table. She tried desperately to press her thighs together, but Jack was in the way. He noticed her frustration and slid a hand between them, pushing a finger deep into her hot center while rubbing circles with his thumb.

Elizabeth's sharp intake of breath as she gasped for air made him think back to when he cut her corset off in Port Royal. God, how he had wanted her then, as she was pressed up against him, soaking wet and looking fierce. Jack quickened the movements of his hand, inserting a second finger, and Elizabeth wrapped her arms around him, burying her face in his neck. He felt her body tighten and then shudder as she climaxed. He held her tight until her breathing returned to normal.

When she regained her ability to form sentences, Elizabeth lifted her head and asked, "How would you like a change of sleeping arrangements?"

XXX

Elizabeth woke in the middle of the night to find Jack sitting at the table, staring at the charts by the light of a single candle. He mumbled under his breath and searched the charts for something. "Bugger," he swore.

Elizabeth rose from bed and slipped on her robe. She walked over to him and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, "What's wrong?"

"He must've found another map," Jack said, shaking his head.

"Another map to what?"

"The Fountain of Youth," Jack pointed a circular map she recognized from her journey to World's End. Jack had aligned the rings in a different configuration so that it now read 'Aqua de Vida'.

"The Fountain of Youth is real?" Elizabeth asked.

"I don't know, but if it is we have to stop Barbossa from finding it or I'll never get my ship back," he said sadly.

"Oh, and the fact that there's an immortality granting spring has nothing to do with your rush to get there?"

"Not in the least," he assured her.

Elizabeth wasn't sure if she believed him, but let the matter drop. "Come back to bed, Jack," she said soothingly as she massaged his bare shoulders. "There's nothing we can do right now, we're sailing as fast as we can. And if Barbossa's immortal when we get there, you'll just have to think of an extremely cunning way of stealing back the _Pearl_ and keeping it away from him. After all, you _are_ Captain Jack Sparrow."

Jack smiled, "I am, aren't I?"

"Yes, you are," she said, placing a kiss on the top of his head.

After she fell back asleep, Elizabeth dreamed about the men she had kissed: James, Will, Sao Feng, and Jack. One by one she watched them being tortured, and they slowly died in front of her, writhing in pain. They screamed at her, begging her to help them, but Elizabeth remained where she was, powerless to do anything but watch.

Elizabeth woke up in a cold sweat and tried to put the images out of her head. She rolled over and curled up next to Jack's sleeping form, resting her head on his bare chest, so she could listen to his heartbeat. It was there, steady and reassuring. She wondered if maybe she had been cursed as a punishment for kissing Jack and leaving him to die. She wasn't sorry back then for what she did, but she would be sorry now. Now, she would go down fighting with Jack.

A terrible image arose in her mind when she thought about how she had kissed him again, many times. She hugged Jack tighter and promised herself that she would find the Fountain of Youth in order to save him. She wouldn't let him die again. She didn't think she could handle losing the last person in the world she cared about.

Elizabeth was determined to succeed as she went over the plan in her head. She would find the fountain, Jack would drink from it, and then she would return to Singapore and live out the rest of her life alone, but with the knowledge that Jack would live on forever. It was fitting, she thought, as silent tears ran down her cheeks and pooled on his chest. After all, he was the real legend, not her.

XXX

They arrived in the Bahamas right behind the _Black Pearl_, which Jack's compass had indicated hadn't moved in two days. They could see the ship anchored off the coast of a small island. Jack hoped that Barbossa hadn't found the fountain yet. He suspected that Elizabeth's new found motivation to catch up with Barbossa had something to do with realizing that if she drank from the fountain, she would be able lengthen the time that she got with Will. It was not an ideal situation, but he wouldn't stand in her way. Instead, he decided that he would help her find the fountain before sailing off with the _Pearl_. He felt he owed her that much.

As for him, he had given up on the idea immortality, realizing that it always carried a consequence. He supposed that there were worse things in life than ending up like his father. Jack paused and shook his head. He couldn't believe those thoughts just materialized in his own mind.

Elizabeth looked over to Jack and he smiled at her. They both pushed off the railing of the _Empress_ and swung over to the deck of the _Black Pearl_. They could see off in the distance that longboats were headed in their direction, no doubt because of their arrival. Mr. Cotton, it seemed, was the only one left behind to guard the _Pearl_.

"Mutineer," Jack said to him. "I should make you walk the plank." Mr. Cotton didn't resist, he just gestured to the ship's wheel, offering it back to Jack.

XXX

When Barbossa climbed up onto the deck, he saw a familiar face waiting for him. "Captain Swann, to what do we owe this pleasure?" he asked.

"We were just passing by on our way to the fountain," she said, "And I just couldn't resist the urge to drop in and say hello to my old friends." She smiled sweetly.

Barbossa narrowed his eyes. "Is Jack with you?"

"No, why would he be?"

"He's the one that has the map from the scroll."

"Not anymore," she said, holding up the map. "So did you find it?"

"It's gone," Barbossa said, "Swallowed in an earthquake or buried by a rockslide. Either way, it doesn't exist."

"Maybe you were in the wrong location or didn't have all the clues," Elizabeth said.

"I have the original map," Barbossa said confidently, "I was in the right place."

"I don't believe you. It has to be there," she insisted.

"Search for yourself, lass. They only thing you'll find are rocks."

"Then you'll have the rocks for company," Jack said, coming out of the captain's cabin with his sword raised. "I'm taking back my ship, Hector."

Barbossa looked unimpressed. "What are you going to do, Jack? Fight me for it?"

"Yes."

Barbossa chuckled and raised his sword. "Fine, a swordfight it is. Winner gets the _Pearl_." He made the first attack, thrusting at Jack, hoping to catch him unprepared, but Jack met his blade with his own. They sparred at a furious pace, moving all over the deck. Their skill was well matched and the fight went on and on, back and forth, until it looked like Barbossa was finally getting tired.

"What's wrong? Not as spry as when you were cursed?" Jack taunted.

"You know something, Jack? I'm tired of always having to look over my shoulder for you."

It happened in slow motion. Elizabeth saw Barbossa draw his gun, but she couldn't get her sword up quick enough. She watched in horror as Jack fell to the deck with a sickening thud. "Jack!" Elizabeth screamed. She looked down and saw a stream of blood flowing from his left side, near his heart. She was on her knees immediately. Mr. Gibbs was next her, his hand pressing against the wound, hoping to staunch the blood flow. He looked worried. He took off his vest and placed it over the wound, pressing tight.

"I'm sorry," Jack said.

She cradled his head. "Sorry for what?" she asked.

"That you can't drink from the fountain and be with Will."

Elizabeth violently shook her head, "No, Jack, I walked away from that beach and haven't looked back. I wanted to find the fountain for you, so you could have your immortality."

"No, I only wanted to get the _Pearl_."

She laughed through her tears. "We've been a bit silly, haven't we?" Jack smiled up at her and then his eyes rolled back into his head. "Jack, come on, don't do this. Don't die on me too. You can't leave me! Jack!" she shouted, but he didn't respond.

The crew stood around them in shock. Barbossa broke their silence, "He had a good life, even if he was a fool."

Elizabeth was on her feet in seconds and she flew at Barbossa in a fury of rage, her sword and Jack's both swinging at him. Barbossa was caught completely off guard by Elizabeth's skill. Her adrenaline fueled swings nearly caught him more than once as he struggled to fight off both swords. The crew watched as Elizabeth advanced on Barbossa, her intensity increasing. Blow after blow she attacked until Barbossa's grip on his sword finally failed and Elizabeth had both of her swords crossed at his throat. She stared him down, wordlessly challenging him to give her a reason to relieve him of his head.

Mr. Gibbs, who was still tending to Jack, shouted to Pintel, "Stop her from killing him!" He wasn't concerned for Barbossa, but for Elizabeth. Killing like that was something he knew she wouldn't recover from. Pintel and Ragetti raced over and each grabbed one of Elizabeth's arms.

She struggled in their grip, but ultimately let them stop her. Once her swords were lowered, she shrugged them off her and gathered herself. "Get this man off my ship," she said coldly.

"_Your_ ship?" Barbossa objected.

Elizabeth pointed a sword to his throat. "I seem to have won the swordfight," she said. "And the winner gets the _Pearl_. Those were the terms, were they not?"

"Aye," Barbossa said reluctantly.

"What should we do with him?" asked Marty.

"He can walk the plank. We'll see how much he likes being on the other end of it," she said bitterly, "Though, personally I think he deserves far worse."

"You can't do this, I'm the captain!" Barbossa shouted as the crew led him to the plank. "And a pirate lord," he added for good measure, hoping to appeal to something in Elizabeth.

But she just replied, "So was Jack."

The crew forced Barbossa out onto the plank and Elizabeth shouted one last comment, "If you ever set foot on the _Black Pearl_ again, nothing in the world will stop me from killing you." Barbossa didn't doubt that she was serious.

When he had fallen overboard, Elizabeth let her swords fall and she sunk to the ground next to Jack. She was too numb to cry. Mr. Gibbs was giving orders to Murtogg, Mullroy, and Mr. Cotton. "We need to get Jack onto his bed and I'll need a basin of fresh water, some bandages, and a bottle of rum. Make that two bottles of rum, I'm going to need a drink after this is all over." The crew nodded and got to work. Mullroy went to grab Jack's legs and help Mr. Gibbs lift him.

Elizabeth looked up at the men that were picking up Jack and panicked, she wasn't ready to say goodbye yet. "What are you doing? Where are you taking him?" she asked.

"I have to wash the wound so infection doesn't set in." Mr. Gibbs could see that Elizabeth didn't understand, so he said slowly and clearly, "Jack's still alive."

"But how?" she asked. "He looks dead."

"The bullet went clean through. Missed his heart completely," Mr. Gibbs explained, "He's just in shock, he'll be fine as long as the wound heals properly."

Elizabeth remained where she was as the men carried Jack to his cabin. She was sure that she didn't have the strength to stand up just yet. As she kneeled there, letting the recent events sink in, she realized that there was still one thing left for her to do. It was going to be difficult, but in some ways it would be the easiest choice she would ever make.

XXX

Elizabeth walked across the deck of the _Empress_ and inspected her crew who were all lined up and waiting for her. She walked past them all, giving them each a smile as they bowed. At the end of the line was Tai Huang. She stopped and considered how to tell him her decision, "I don't know when I'll return to Singapore, I just know that I need to be here right now," she told him. "While I'm gone, I want you to act in my place. You were Sao Feng's rightful successor anyway."

Tai Huang was humbled. "You were a magnificent captain. We were honored to serve you," he said. "You will always have a place in Singapore, should you want it." He bowed and then held out his hand.

Elizabeth accepted his hand and shook it graciously. "Thank you," she said.

When she was back on board the _Pearl_, she watched the _E__mpress_ sail away. She felt a twinge of sadness for the chapter of her life that had just ended, but she felt no regret as she put it behind her. Instead, she knew that she had found her place in the world and there would always be an adventure as long as Jack was by her side. When the _E__mpress_ disappeared over the horizon, Elizabeth dragged her sea chest into the captain's cabin and relieved Mr. Gibbs of his bedside vigil.

Elizabeth sat down on the bed next to Jack and watched him sleep for a while. His comment about her wanting to be with Will had surprised her. She hadn't meant for him to think that. She looked at him closely and wondered if he had ever truly been loved. Her own life had been filled with many people who loved her and it made her heart ache to think of how lonely his life must have been. Maybe he didn't think it possible that anyone could love him. She took his hand and held it tightly. He all of a sudden seemed so fragile.

She leaned down and said softly to him, "I want you to know that I love you, Jack, with my whole heart. That's something I've never told anyone, not even Will. I only left you before because I felt like I had to. I thought I had something to prove. The only problem was that I ended up running away from the only thing I ever wanted."

XXX

It was nearly dawn before Jack began to wake. "Mmm, I'd know this comfortable bed anywhere," he mumbled, his eyes still closed. He felt a warm hand in his and he opened his eyes to find Elizabeth looking down at him. "Hello, love."

"Hello, Jack." Elizabeth smiled warmly back at him, relieved that he was finally awake. "Are you in much pain?"

"I've had worse," he said.

"You should have some rum," she said, picking up a bottle she had set on the floor next to the bed. She held the bottle up to his lips and helped him lift his head so he could drink.

When he had had his fill, he looked around curiously at his surroundings and wondered, "Why am I still on the _Pearl_? This is a dream, isn't it?"

Elizabeth laughed, "No, Barbossa's gone. I made him walk the plank."

Jack's jaw dropped. "How in the world did you manage that?"

"After Barbossa shot you, I challenged him and we fought for a while until I won. I would have killed him right then, but the crew stopped me. I wasn't thinking straight because I thought you were dead," she said solemnly.

"It takes more than bullets to stop Captain Jack Sparrow, love," he said. "Anyway, I certainly don't need you fussing over me. I'm sure your crew will be anxious to get home, so you should go."

Elizabeth looked at Jack. He was inspecting the dirt under his fingernails, trying to be nonchalant, but she realized right then that he was as scared of losing her as she was of losing him. She smiled. "I already sent them home," she said. "I'm staying here with you."

Jack's heart sang, but he eyed her skeptically, "Are you sure?" he asked. "Because the _Pearl_ doesn't need two captains."

"Oh, Jack," she said sweetly, "The _Pearl_ only has one true captain…me."

Jack's face fell when he realized that she wasn't talking about him. "I think you've got that wrong, love."

"I _did_ win the swordfight," she said, trying to keep a straight face, "And the _Pearl_ needs a captain who can actually prevent her from being stolen."

"But—"

"In fact, I should go have the crew run up my colors, just to see how they'd look." She started to get off the bed, but Jack had grabbed her arm pulling her back to him. She broke out laughing.

Jack was considerably less amused. "Darling, you should never joke about stealing a man's ship."

"I know," she said, trying to stop laughing.

"Especially if said man is gravely wounded."

Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "Oh please, you're going to be fine."

"Says the woman that just told me she thought I had died."

"Well, before I thought you _had_ died."

"So, am I going to have to fight you for my ship then?"

"No, no," she conceded. "The _Pearl_'s yours."

"Thank you, love."

"But maybe we could share the captain's position? We could switch off every other week. What do you think? Jack?"

Jack just groaned and covered his head with his blanket. He had the feeling that he would never hear the end of this.

* * *

A/N: Thanks everyone for reading my story and leaving such great reviews! I don't have a sequel planned right now, but I do have another Sparrabeth fic in the works, so keep an eye out. 


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